Machine for charging and discharging retorts



l. G. W. ALDRIDGE.

MACHINE ron CHARGING AND-DISCHARGING moms.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 26,19I5- 1,327,582. Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

3SHEETSSHEEI I.

1T. EW/Iun mums,

A'r runuus I. G. W. ALDRIDGE. MACHINE FOR CHARGING AND DISCHARGONG RETORTS.

, APPLICATION FILED OCT-26. I915. 1,327,582.

7 Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'l'mnsu'rua TI. ELWAunRmEB J. e. w. ALDRIDGE. MACHINE FUR CHARGING AND DISCHARGING RETORTS.

APPLICATION. FILED OCT-26, 1915.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

3 SHEETS SHEEY 3.

l. Ii L IHI IHU nl ll ll nnr llh I am NJ 5 1T E.W. Ami m1: rs E:

AT 1' DRNEY s UNITED sTAT s PATENT ()FFICE.

JAMES GEORGE WILLCOX ALDRIDGE, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND.

MACHINE FOR CHARGING AND DISCHARG'ING- RETORTS,

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, JAMES GEORGE l/VILL- coX Annnlncn, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 39 Victoria street, lVestminster, London S. England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Charging and Discharging Retorts, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a multiple stroke charging machine for gas retorts which is also applicable for discharging through retorts and comprises a chain or butt jointed pushing or pulling member adapted to be wound on a-polygonal drum.

A charging receptacle or scoop isattached to the outer end of the chain and moved thereby into and out of the retort the chain being actuated by the polygonal drum aforesaid which is driven through suitable gearing from a motor on the machine. In order to enable the chain to be wound on a comparatively small drum which is'advantageous where the available space for the machine is limited, the chain is made up of sections of diiferent widths the wider sections being formed of a series of pairs of parallel side links spaced apart to accommodate the narrower sections of the chain between them so that in winding up the chain two or more convolution-s of the same diameter can be wound on the drum. The drum itself is con veniently built up of segments having radial teeth for engaging the links of the chain.

The invention is hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side view of the charging chain and scoop constructed according to this invention Fig. 2 is a plan of the same,

Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevation and plan respectively of a portion of the charging scoop, lower portion of a coal chute, and a portion of the chain drum on a larger scale.

Figs. 5 to 7 illustrate in elevation, plan and cross section a segment of the polygonal drum upon which the chain is wound.

As shown, the char ing receptacle or hottomless scoop on whic consists of two side plates 6 connected at the forward end by an arched stay 6 and carrying a hinged push plate 6 is inclosed at the rear end a to which a connectin member 0 is attached which is in turn jolnted to the front link a? Specification of Letters Patent.

of a butt jointed chain-that is, a chain in which the ends of the links abut against one another so as to allow the chain to curve about the drum, but prevent it from bending in the opposite direction. The chain illustrated is made in three sections (5 (Z (Z of different widths, the length of each section corresponding with one convolution when the chain is wound on the polygonal drum 6. The links of the rear section d are pivotally connected by pins or pivots d and spaced apart and united by cross stays d These stays or transverse bars are united to the side elements or spaced links at their sides next to the drum so as to provide a clear space between the side links for receiving the relatively narrowly spaced links of the contiguous section d when the chain is wound upon the drum. Each stay (i may be cast integral with one link and attached to the adjacent link, the object of thus rigidly uniting the links in pairs being to hold them properly spaced and to oppose any tendency of the chain to bend in the plane of its pivotal axes. Chain section d is formed in a similar manner to the section (Z with spaced side links between which the front chain section al can lie when wound up, this section consisting of single links butt jointed end to end.

As clearly illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7 the drum 0 through which the chain and attached scoop are actuated, is built up of cast iron segments 6 with radial teeth a fixed therein and arranged to engage slots in the links of the chain.

An apron plate f is provided upon which the scoop a rests when being filled with coal, this plate as shown in Fig. 4 being mounted on wheels f which run in guides f in a guide frame in the machine. The apron plate is advanced toward the retort or withdrawn therefrom by any suitable means.

For filling the scoop a with coal, a telescopic chute 9 depending from the usual hopper h isprovided at its lower end with doors 71 mounted to slide horizontally in guides 71 and having pin and slot connections 2' with pivoted arms or levers 2' which are in turn connected by links i with levers 2' carried on a rocking shaft i On the rocking shaft 6 depending or striking arms are fixed which project into the path of the longitudinally spaced stops 70 10 on the sides of the charging scoop a.

In the operation of charging a retort the Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Application filed October 26, 1915. Serial No. 58,086.

mouthpiece, when its said catches are forced open (or the weights and gear brought to a standstill) by the further advance of the scoop which continues its forward movement pushing the charge of coal off the apron plate and along the bed oi the retort.

During the advance of the scoop from the filling position toward the mouth of the retort, the depending or striking levers j on the feed chute g are operated by' the projections Is" on the scoop to close the doors or the chute. Likewise on the return stroke o1 the scoop after depositing the charge oi? coal in the retort, the apron plate is drawn back by suitable stops, (not shown) and the levers actuating the doors of the chute are swung back by stops is on the scoop to open the doors allowing the scoop to be refilled with coal from the hopper on the machine.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The combination in a charging device, of a drum provided with a plurality of an nular series of teeth, and a pusher consisting of a plurality of sets of links, one of said sets of links comprising spaced but rigidly united pairs of links which engage with two oi said annular series of teeth, the spaces between the links of this one of said sets being sufiiciently wide to receive the contiguous set of links therein, the links of said contiguous set being engageable with one of said annular series of teeth between those that are engaged by the first said set of links.

2. The combination of a rotary drum, a

series of pairs of spaced but rigidly united links, the said pairs being pivotally connect ed together and aggregating a length substantially equal to the circumference of said drum, and a second series of links pivotally connected together and pivotally connected to one of said pairs of rigidly united links, said series of pairs oi links being engaged with said drum and adapted to be wound thereon, said second series of links being adapted to be wound around said drum in the space between the said pairs of rigidly united links.

In a retort-charging device, a rotary drum; a plurality of annular series of teeth on the drum; a pair of spaced series of links, the links of each series being pivot-ally united and having their ends abutting against one another and being engageable with one oi? said annular series of teeth and adapted to be wound on and unwound from said drum by rotation of the latter; a plurality of bars, each of said bars being united with a link of one series and a corresponding link of the other of said series, these bars being secured to the edges of the links adja cent to the drum when the links are wound on the drum; and another series of links pivotally connected together and having their ends abutting against one another, this last said series of links being pivotally connected to opposing links of said spaced series and abutting against the contiguous ends of the latter, the said other series of links being disposed between the links of said pair of series and being engaged with one of said annular series of teeth when these series 01 links are wound on said drum.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES GEORGE WILLUOX ALDRIDGE.

Witnesses S. NASH, SAMUEL PERCIVAL. 

